Maserati7200 Posted March 8, 2009 Share #1 Posted March 8, 2009 I was on the interwebz and found out that Penn Station used to be this marvelous Architectural beauty until it was torn down in 1968 and put underground. Its a shame and almost a crime they demolished the old Penn station! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted March 8, 2009 Share #2 Posted March 8, 2009 :eek: :confused: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: Sorry for that very spam-ish section of the post there, but.. I gotta say, it's one thing for a country to turn its back on the only way to get across the country for 100 years and let it decline till all most being gone forever, but demolishing this building was (and remains) an insult to logic and common sense. Yes, i know PRR needed to sell the air rights to stay in the black, but uhm, hello, Albany? Washington dc? Step in and save this historic structure? Hell, albany wouldn't even be the state capitol if train service didn't go there. This is the ebbets field of the rail world. I have to remind people from time to time, that yes "there used to be a train station right here" and not this rat maze under a sporting arena that we have today. Also, you know what else is a tragedy? The country used to have tons of electrified rail lines. Now mosto f it is on the east coast on the northeast corridor. and(NJT) and etc have one of the few remaining electrified systems left from that golden era. They even had electric freight trains! If you look from time to time, you can see where this electrification used to be. What's done is done. At least we didn't lose GCT, hoboken, communipaw, and many other absolutely beautiful stations and terminals, lovingly cared for and some restored and/or repurposed by private organizations and businesspeople. All we can do now, is fight to preserve even more, and one day soon, put some passengers back on those lines, and wires back up overhead. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maserati7200 Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted March 8, 2009 :eek: :confused: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: Sorry for that very spam-ish section of the post there, but.. I gotta say, it's one thing for a country to turn its back on the only way to get across the country for 100 years and let it decline till all most being gone forever, but demolishing this building was (and remains) an insult to logic and common sense. Yes, i know PRR needed to sell the air rights to stay in the black, but uhm, hello, Albany? Washington dc? Step in and save this historic structure? Hell, albany wouldn't even be the state capitol if train service didn't go there. This is the ebbets field of the rail world. I have to remind people from time to time, that yes "there used to be a train station right here" and not this rat maze under a sporting arena that we have today. Also, you know what else is a tragedy? The country used to have tons of electrified rail lines. Now mosto f it is on the east coast on the northeast corridor. and(NJT) and etc have one of the few remaining electrified systems left from that golden era. They even had electric freight trains! If you look from time to time, you can see where this electrification used to be. What's done is done. At least we didn't lose GCT, hoboken, communipaw, and many other absolutely beautiful stations and terminals, lovingly cared for and some restored and/or repurposed by private organizations and businesspeople. All we can do now, is fight to preserve even more, and one day soon, put some passengers back on those lines, and wires back up overhead. - A Quite true! :tup: California, for example: Everyone drives! You can't find much historic railroads or heavy rail there. And the original Penn station looked much nicer (imo) than Grand Central! I wish MSG was somewhere else! Its disgusting how the city demolished it without a second thought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted March 8, 2009 Share #4 Posted March 8, 2009 It remains the most beautiful public building in the entire history of north american architecture, and they demolished it. Stupidity at its finest. I agree, GCT isn't in the same league, however still a grand piece of beautiful architecture in its own right. You know what kinda irks me? The NS right of way next to PATH... it still has the support structure for the catenary lines, but no electrified bits. Why not pop electrical stuff there, reduce fuel costs? These old structures are all over the place, and tell a tale of desperation and panic when the railroads started going under in the late 40's and early 50's. Even the famed "milwaukee road" had electrified portions. People even went against expert advice and studies and tore it down anyways. A large part of the fight to get back some of what we lost is re-electrification. Once we do that, then the healing can really begin. We will never regain new york's penn station, but we can regain some of, if not more than, passenger service in this country compared to its peak in the 20's and 30's. Kinda pathetic that it's been so long. Makes me a tiny bit shamed to be an american when i think of it. :cry: - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeystoneRegional Posted March 9, 2009 Share #5 Posted March 9, 2009 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTR Admiralty Posted March 9, 2009 Share #6 Posted March 9, 2009 Ever since the demolition of Penn Station, certain edifices or structures can be classified as landmarks and are protected under law. Too bad this occurred after the demolition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaback9 Posted March 10, 2009 Share #7 Posted March 10, 2009 Penn Station, had to be sacrificed so GCT could live. They tore down a beauty of the architectural world for a disaster. My dream would be for them to knock down the garden for a new Penn Station rebuilt exactly like the old one. At least theres a plan to move the station into the Post Office, will see if that ever gets anywhere though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted March 10, 2009 Share #8 Posted March 10, 2009 Penn Station, had to be sacrificed so GCT could live. They tore down a beauty of the architectural world for a disaster. My dream would be for them to knock down the garden for a new Penn Station rebuilt exactly like the old one. At least theres a plan to move the station into the Post Office, will see if that ever gets anywhere though... More construction and changes? :cry: I think there is a possibility of MSG coming down in my lifetime, but not 2 penn plaza, and not the AP building. As far as putting it in the post office... IF it saves THAT building, sure fine, but the IRT being 2 blocks away would suck a lot. I say tear down MSG and put a new train station building there, with areas open to the sky where the tracks are for ventilation and light. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTR Admiralty Posted March 14, 2009 Share #9 Posted March 14, 2009 Penn Station, had to be sacrificed so GCT could live. They tore down a beauty of the architectural world for a disaster. My dream would be for them to knock down the garden for a new Penn Station rebuilt exactly like the old one. At least theres a plan to move the station into the Post Office, will see if that ever gets anywhere though... I think that Moynihan Station plan is shelved. And yes, in a way, Penn was sacrificed for GCT's preservation. The residents were very reactionary this time, after Penn was demolished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaback9 Posted March 14, 2009 Share #10 Posted March 14, 2009 They recently brought the plans off the shelf, but I wouldn't hold my breath since NY seems, to be in need of $$$ to do this which they don't have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayo Posted September 3, 2009 Share #11 Posted September 3, 2009 Look on the bright side, the station wasn't totally destroyed! At least the concourse and platforms and such remain! I just wish they could've spared Atlanta's terminal station!:cry: Yes, they should really have Madison Sq Gardens vacate the former Penn Station property and restore it to its original design! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted September 4, 2009 Share #12 Posted September 4, 2009 I honestly do not want it changed, it is what it is. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted September 4, 2009 Share #13 Posted September 4, 2009 It would be nice though if they brought in some sunlight on the mid-block lane to track level, and there were some vents with fans to bring the hot air out. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EE Broadway Local Posted September 9, 2009 Share #14 Posted September 9, 2009 Nice video of the old Pennsylvania Station! By the 1960's not only the Pennsylvania, but the New York Central was changing with the times. First came Penn-Central, then Amtrak and then Conrail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted September 10, 2009 Share #15 Posted September 10, 2009 I'm defenately in the minority here, but I dont see much of a problem with the current Penn Station, its busy and all, but it has that cool mini mall of shops and stuff, I find it interesting how its like a mini underground city of sort, Montreal has a similar thing but I forget where, the thing I wish they kept was the old flippy boards that showed the stations. I was hoping they coulda built that new football stadium over the old west side yard thing, but dang Cablevision put a stop to that because they own MSG. To build a new station will just cost the (NYCT) a ton of money, and they already have more important projects underway like the 2 Ave Line, and bringing the LIRR to Grand Central, which will relieve crowding in Penn Station, not to mention all the maintenance they put off all the time, like on the where the bolts are falling off the structure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted September 11, 2009 Share #16 Posted September 11, 2009 The old station building had tons of shops and eateries, more than are there now. The ICC and Robert Moses sealed the fate of old Penn station, thankfully most treasures are now safe, or are at least fought for now days. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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